Idabel, OK (July 25, 2018)—Linda Lou Alexander will lead a basketry workshop at the Museum of the Red River on August 11. The class is scheduled for 4 pm to 8 pm and costs $45. Participants will learn how to create a sturdy, double-walled basket (Western Cherokee), while enjoying a selection of local craft beers/wine. All participants must be 21 years or older. Registration is available over the phone (580.286.3616) or at https://www.museumoftheredriver.org/product/beer-and-baskets/.
Basketry is one of the world’s oldest and most widely practiced crafts. Styles and techniques differ from place to place. One of the more complicated techniques is known as the “double-wall” or “double-weave”. As the name suggests, double-wall baskets are made up of two “walls” seamlessly woven together. The Cherokee double-weave technique predates European contact. It is also one of the many traditions that the tribe maintained despite their forced relocation during the 19th century. Like many native American traditions, it almost into obscurity by the 20th century. However, Lottie Stamper and other weavers revived the tradition in the 1940s. Since then, it has evolved into a complex and highly stylized art form practiced by only a few artists.
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